My puppy bites when meeting new people. How can I stop this?

Question

I am trying to get my puppy to meet new people but he gets agresive and wants to bite them how can i stop him? Also Is wet food good for them? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | 14 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Oh dear! If Yogy is becoming aggressive and trying to bite people when he meets them, he is telling you that he's not comfortable meeting strangers at this point. This is something that can often be improved over time, but it's important to go slowly - I would strongly recommend working with a veterinary behaviorist or a good reward-based trainer who can help you in person. The training plan will likely involve starting at a distance from strangers where Yogy is comfortable, and feeding him treats to help him associate good things with seeing new people. As long as he's doing well, you can gradually move closer over time until eventually, he may be comfortable saying hello to a stranger. It's very important not to put him in situations where he is afraid or uncomfortable, so I would stop trying to introduce him to strangers for now - this will only make things worse. It's also important not to punish him for showing aggression, since this will only make him more afraid and worsen the problem over time. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here (www.dacvb.org) or a qualified trainer here (www.ccpdt.org).

My puppy bites when meeting new people. How can I stop this?

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